Australian employers concerned about skills shortage
As Australia bounces back from real estate recession, skills shortages are becoming exposed – not least in the construction industry. A workforce shortfall could endanger recovery Down Under and international removals firm Anglo Pacific is urging overseas candidates to seize employment opportunities.
Jason Diggs, Sales Director for Anglo Pacific, says, “In 2012 Anglo Pacific was the largest volume mover of personal and household effects to Australia from the UK - around 51% of our total customers for that year. Apart from a healthy number of returning nationals, many of our clients were UK-born professionals looking for lucrative work opportunities and a better lifestyle for the family – particularly the lure of the great outdoors. If Australia’s growth is going to meet difficulties due to a skills shortage, now could be a really good time to send the visa application off.”
Having spent 2008 to 2012 in recession, a phenomenon that was refuted by the Reserve Bank of Australia as a simultaneous mining boom masked the retail and property crash, Australia’s real estate market is moving into a recovery phase.
Alex Caraco from Coldwell Banker Australia says, “At the prestige end of the market, house prices fell by up to 30% in capital cities and 30 to 40% in regional locations during the five-year period of the property and construction recession. Property became much more affordable to the average family. However, since November 2012, prices have risen anything between 3 and 15% as the population swells with migrants from Asia, New Zealand and Europe. Demand is rising but we need the workers to return to the construction sector.”
Alex continues, “Hundreds of building companies went into liquidation and skilled people exited the industry in their droves to join the booming mining sector. Construction all but closed down for four or five years but now it has restarted, albeit from a very low base. Banks are still not keen to lend for construction so only stock market or Chinese-owned developers are building, but many jobs are nonetheless being created.”
Estimates from the Construction & Property Services Industry Skills Council (CPSISC) suggest that 45,000 jobs will become available in the construction industry over the next three years, but a lack of home-grown apprentices and experienced professionals leaving the workplace for retirement is causing concern. The gap needs to be plugged somehow.
Interestingly, the 2013 Hays Salary Guide revealed that 63% of employers believe that skills shortages will affect the operation of their business or department. Additionally a staggering 61% of businesses would consider sponsoring candidates from overseas, up from 59% in 2012. It’s clear that Australia is going to be reliant on immigrants from the UK.
Utilizing its vast network of contacts built over 35 years of trading, Anglo Pacific offers a dedicated job search service with applicants invited to register free of charge and without obligation via anglopacific.co.uk/jobs_abroad.htm. Completed registrations are forwarded to specialist recruiters within all the key disciplines.
For more information on Anglo Pacific, visit anglopacific.co.uk.
